The ShellSea Krabi I Luxury Beach Resort & Pool Villas

Book the pool villa or don't bother. That's my honest take on this place. The regular rooms are polished and perfectly comfortable, but the villas with their own pools are what separates this from every other smart beach resort on the Krabi coast, and they're the category that goes first when the season picks up.

The tone is quiet rather than lively. Two pools, a spa, dining and a bar on site, direct access to the sand. Couples and families with a bit of budget will get the most out of it. If you want beach bars and noise until 2am, you'll be bored here within a day.

Position is the other selling point. You're on the coast in the Mueang Krabi area, so the limestone cliffs and island-hopping boats are within easy reach, but you're not sitting in the middle of the busiest tourist strip. That trade-off suits some people and frustrates others, so know which one you are before you commit.